


Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore

by nothing_but_a_comedy (orphan_account)



Category: DC Extended Universe, Joker (2019)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Heavy Angst, M/M, Swearing, Trust Issues, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-04-21 08:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22055182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/nothing_but_a_comedy
Summary: After weeks of Arthur isolating himself from you, you've had enough. You confront him while he's waiting to go on Murray's show, wanting to protect yourself from more heartbreak.
Relationships: Arthur Fleck/Original Character(s), Arthur Fleck/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Fleck/Reader, Arthur Fleck/You, Joker (DCU)/Original Female Character(s), Joker (DCU)/Reader, Joker (DCU)/You, Joker/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore

**Author's Note:**

> I was intrigued by the ambiguity of the scene where Joker is teary-eyed while laughing at the news in Murray’s dressing room. So I wanted to create a bit of a backstory that also adds more gravitas to the things that Arthur does and says following the events of this fic.

You’re shocked when you hear that tonight’s guest on the show is a comedian named Arthur Fleck. You’ve worked on the set of _Live With Murray Franklin_ for two years, and Arthur knows that. So why the fuck didn’t he tell you he’s going to be on the show tonight?**  
**

As you stomp towards the guest dressing room to confront him, your initial shock turns into an uncontrollable rage. It’s not caused just from the fact that he kept this a secret, but also from the odd way he’s been treating you for the past few weeks.

Reaching the dressing room door, you don’t even bother to knock before pushing the door open with force. You’re ready to start yelling at Arthur, but stop in your tracks as soon as your eyes land on your boyfriend.

At first, you wonder if the man in the room is actually Arthur. He looks like a completely different person just by the way he is standing, but then you recognize the familiar painted face staring at you through the mirror.

Standing in the doorway of the dressing room, you observe the way he’s dressed and how he carries himself as if he’s much more confident now.

“Arthur?”

You tilt your head in confusion as he scoffs lightly at his name. Your brows furrow while you wait for him to answer; each second of silence that ticks by makes your anger boil within you.

Closing the door behind you, you enter the dressing room fully. Arthur turns to look at you with a grimace.

“Well? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be on the show?” You tap your foot impatiently.

“Look, darling…” Arthur approaches you and reaches for your hands, but you quickly pull them away. He looks hurt by your rejection, but continues, “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. It’s just been… a rough few weeks.”

You frown at him, knowing what he’s referring to. He might have tried to hide it, but you’re not stupid; you knew it wasn’t a coincidence that the subway murders happened the same day Arthur came home bloodied, jittery, and still in his clown makeup. You saw the news of a killer clown the next day and instantly put the pieces together.

“If you had just let me _help_ you, maybe you wouldn’t have suffered alone, Artie!” His mouth opens to say something, but you interrupt him. “I know what you did,” your voice lowers to a whisper. “I know you killed those guys, and I know you’re probably the reason why your mother’s dead.”

You pause and think about your next words carefully. “Why’d you face it all alone? Why didn’t you tell me what you were going through? Don’t you trust me?”

Tears form in your eyes– whether they are from anger or sadness, you’re not entirely sure.

“Answer me, damn it!” You yell at Arthur as you start to cry.

Arthur just stares at you blankly, as if you’re not really there and he’s able to see through you. You lean into his chest and let the sobs wrack your body, unable to hold back all the negative emotions you’ve kept inside for the past few weeks.

Sadness fills you as you think about how alone you’ve felt while Arthur has been isolating himself and pushing you away. He always gets so caught up in his own thoughts and feelings, that he never stops to think about how his actions affect _you_.

All the times that he disappeared for days or lied to you about what he was going through– those were the most painful parts of your relationship. And now you are standing in front of a man you barely recognize anymore, who looks like he’s on the brink of completely dissociating.

You pull away from him and look into his eyes, vision blurred from your tears.

“Please say something,” you beg him with a raised voice.

Arthur’s frown looks odd when paired with his painted smile. His eyes are watery with unshed tears, and his voice cracks when he whispers your name.

“I– I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d get hurt–”

You cut him off harshly, “–That’s the problem, Arthur!”

Creating distance between your bodies, you pace around the dressing room. “I can’t do this anymore,” you mutter under your breath and shake your head as more tears spill down your cheeks.

Between Arthur’s lack of trust in you and his tendency to be self-centered, you can think of only one way out of the situation.

Your heart breaks, but you find the strength to whisper “This isn’t working, Arthur…”

Turning around to face him, you’re met with his emotionless eyes staring back at you through the dressing room mirror. You notice the lipstick held tightly in his hand and read the sloppy red letters that were drawn on the mirror while you were pacing: ‘put on a happy face’.

He averts his eyes from your sad gaze, staring at his own reflection as tears threaten to fall on his painted cheeks.

“What are you trying to say?” Deep down, he knows what you’re implying, but he needs to hear you say it.

You choke back a sob and struggle to keep your voice steady. “I think it would be best if we go our separate ways.”

Arthur clenches his jaw and nods his head in understanding. “Well then, I guess this is goodbye.”

He takes a seat on the empty chair facing the small television on the other side of the room. He stares blankly at the news playing on the television, lighting a cigarette and ignoring you. You grimace as you hear laughter hiccup in his chest and watch tears prick his eyes.

Turning on your heels in a hurry, you rush to the door and open it hastily to leave. Standing in the doorway, you take one final look at him and with a heavy heart, you whisper, “Goodbye, Arthur.”

~

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur sees you run away. Your final words to him echo in his head, making him chuckle humorlessly.

He wants to hate you; you betrayed him when he needed you the most. Arthur takes a slow drag from his cigarette and blows it out, clenching his jaw.

As the smoke billows around his face, he switches which hand is holding the cigarette; with his left hand now holding it to his mouth, he feels a significant change growing within him.

Chuckling and smiling to himself, _Joker_ realizes that with you out of his life now, he’s finally free– he’s got nothing left to lose.


End file.
